Malawi: Cholera Outbreak - Nov 2017
AlertOverview
On 24 November 2017, the Malawi Ministry of Health reported an outbreak of cholera in Karonga District, located in the northern part of the country (at the shore of Lake Tanganyika) and bordering Tanzania. The initial cholera cases emerged on 20 November 2017 and presented to Iponga Health Center in Karonga District. On 24 November 2017, four out of five stool specimens obtained from the initial cholera cases isolated Vibrio cholerae 01 by culture, confirming the outbreak. By 25 December 2017, Nkhatabay District (a second district) located in the Northern Region reported its first cholera case. The outbreak subsequently spread to four other districts in the central region of the country, with Lilongwe reporting its first case on 29 December 2017. During week 1 (week ending 7 January 2018), a total of 58 new suspected cholera cases (with no deaths) were reported, compared to 59 cases reported in week 52 (week ending 31 December 2017). (WHO, 12 Jan 2018.)
The cholera outbreak in Malawi continues. During week 6 (week ending 11 February 2018), a total of 68 new suspected cholera cases with one community death were reported, compared to 74 cases and one death reported in week 5. The new cases came from six districts, namely Lilongwe (33), Karonga (21), Salima (7), Rumphi (4), Dowa (1), Likoma (1), and Blantyre (1). Since the beginning of the outbreak on 24 November 2017, a total of 450 cases including six deaths (case fatality rate 1.3%) have been reported, as of 11 February 2018. Twelve out of 29 districts in the country have been affected, with the majority (57%, 258) of the cases coming from Karonga (where the outbreak originated), followed by Lilongwe (26%, 117), the capital city (WHO, 16 Feb 2018.)
30 new cases were reported in week 13 compared to 31 cases including 1 death (CFR, 3.2%) reported in week 12. The new cases emerged from two districts, namely Lilongwe (28) and Salima (2). Cumulatively a total of 874 cases and 15 deaths have been reported, as from November 2017. Of these, 719 cases and 14 deaths have been reported since the beginning of 2018 (UNICEF, 6 Apr 2018.)
Affected countries
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Overview
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on selected acute public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 54 events in the region. This week’s edition covers key new and ongoing events, including:
Declaration of the end of cholera outbreak in South Sudan
Humanitarian crisis in Central African Republic
Cholera in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Hepatitis E in Namibia
Cholera in Angola
Highlights
More than 4,057 cholera / AWD cases and 51 deaths (Case Fatality Rate: 1.3%) have been reported in 11 of 21 countries of Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) since the beginning of 2018. These countries include; Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Overview
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on selected acute public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 55 events in the region. This week’s edition covers key new and ongoing events, including:
Humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia
Lassa fever in Benin
Lassa fever in Nigeria
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in Uganda
Rift Valley fever in South Sudan
HIGHLIGHTS
• Overall humanitarian needs decrease as Southern Africa recovers from 2015/2016 El Niño-related drought conditions
• Tropical Cyclone Ava results in more than 50 deaths in Madagascar
• Recent analyses project mixed food security outcomes across Southern Africa through mid-2018
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
The World Health Organization country office in Malawi conducted an assessment of cholera outbreak control efforts in Karonga district between 18 and 19 January 2018. The WHO mission’s major finding was that the District Epidemic Response Committee under the leadership of the District Health Officer, Dr Phinias Mfune was effectively managing all the partners who were present in the district supporting cholera control activities. “We conduct weekly coordination meetings at the District Counsel chamber.
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on selected acute public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 55 events in the region. This week’s edition covers key new and ongoing events, including:
Highlights
• In 2017, Malawi experienced a series of cholera outbreaks. As at 31 December 2017, a cumulative total of 282 cases with five deaths were registered from the 7 districts.
• More than one million people are in food security crisis (IPC Phase 3) and have been provided with humanitarian food assistance for periods ranging from two to four months, starting December 2017.
In 2018;
7 Countries
2,009 Cases
22 deaths
1.1% CFR
Highlights
More than 2,009 cholera / AWD cases and 22 deaths (Case Fatality Rate: 1.1%) have been reported in 7 of 21 countries of Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) since the beginning of 2018. These countries include; Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania and Zambia.
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on selected acute public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 56 events in the region. This week’s edition covers key new and ongoing events, including:
Botulism in Nigeria
Lassa fever in Benin
Lassa fever in Nigeria
Humanitarian crisis in Central African Republic
Suspected Rift Valley fever in South Sudan
Cholera in Angola
Suspected Rift Valley fever in The Gambia
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on selected acute public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 54 events in the region. This week’s edition covers key ongoing events, including:
- Chikungunya in Kenya
- Cholera in Malawi
- Cholera in Zambia
- Suspected Rift Valley fever in South Sudan
- Humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on selected acute public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 53 events in the region. This week’s edition covers key new and ongoing events, including:
BLANTYRE, MALAWI — Malawi is battling a cholera outbreak that began at the start of the rainy season in November. The disease has killed four people, and more than 150 others are hospitalized.
The disease — an acute diarrheal infection caused by consuming contaminated food or water — affects children and adults, and can kill within hours if left untreated.
The hardest-hit districts are Nkhatabay and Karonga, on the shores of Lake Malawi.
Lilongwe, January 4: Minister of Health and Population Atupele Muluzi has said although the cholera situation is certainly worsening, it has not yet reached the stage where it can be regarded as an epidemic.
The Minister said this when he gave an update on the situation of cholera in the country on Thursday morning at the Ministry of Health at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, where he appealed for assistance from everyone to compliment his ministry’s efforts in trying to contain the disease.
Karonga, December 19, 2017: Karonga District Council and other stakeholders working in health sector are in dilemma over the fast spreading of a cholera outbreak in the district where two people have died with a total of 51 registered cases in four weeks.
The district council and the stakeholders met Monday to discuss how they could contain the outbreak of the disease.
A report presented at the meeting by Karonga District Environmental Health Officer, Lewis Tukula indicated that about 23 villages have been affected in all the five traditional authorities.
